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Learn more about our related campaigns: International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)Shark ConservationStop Surface Longlining in the Gulf of MexicoEnding Illegal Fishing Internationally
Why Tuna?Tuna are some of the most important fish in our oceans, from their role in maintaining the balance of the ocean ecosystem to the millions of people that depend on them for protein. Unfortunately, they are also in trouble—making the need for sustainable global fisheries clearer than ever before. The huge demand for tuna—as a popular ingredient in sushi, as tuna steaks, and as mass produced, affordable canned fish across much of Europe, Asia, and the United States—has resulted in overfishing and mismanagement of many tuna species.
Pew’s Global Tuna Conservation CampaignThere are 23 species of tuna, seven of which are fished commercially. Vessels catching 4.5 million tons of tuna annually are responsible for more hooks and nets in the water than any other fishery in the world. The world-wide and ever increasing demand for tuna, exacerbated by lax management, has fueled fraud, overfishing and threatens the health and sustainability of many of these species.
Pew’s Global Tuna Conservation Campaign is urging countries fishing for tuna to:
Strong Science and Management Key to Tuna’s SurvivalTo achieve these goals, Pew is working with governments, other conservation groups, and industry to implement science-based catch limits and improve the quality of data used to manage the fisheries. Tuna stocks are fished by dozens of countries, with a significant amount of tuna coming from the high seas, areas that start 200 miles from shore and cover approximately half of the Earth. Their management is largely overseen by Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs)—international bodies made up largely of countries that seek to manage fisheries for certain species in specific geographic areas. Pew engages at a number of RFMOs to improve tuna management in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Read more about Pew's Pacific tuna work
Read more about Pew's bluefin tuna work in the Atlantic Ocean
Photo credit: NOAA
Jan 09, 2013 - Just three days after a single Pacific bluefin tuna fetched a jaw-dropping $1.76 million at a fish auction in Tokyo, Japan, scientists released a new stock assessment for this species—and the findings are shocking.
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Nov 16, 2010 - The seminar entitled “What is the Future of Bluefin Tuna? Perspectives before the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)” took place on 16 November at the Oceanographic Institute in Paris, France. The meeting immediately preceded the 17th Special Meeting of ICCAT (ICCAT 2010), and was attended by over 200 participants representing intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations, academia and representatives of the media.
Read: Summary View: Full Report (Adobe PDF)
Oct 26, 2010 - Atlantic bluefin tuna populations in both the western and eastern Atlantic Ocean are currently at very low levels, and additional management measures are needed to rebuild their populations.
Dec 18, 2009 - This report examines what the economic impact would be on U.S. seafood markets, from fishermen to retailers, if bluefin tuna were listed among the most threatened creatures by the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES). It explores the current market for bluefin in the United States, including landings, exports, imports and re‐exports.
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Related Campaign: Learn about Pew’s campaign to protect bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico Read More